--RHP Chad Billingsley has won his last five decisions dating to last Aug. 30, a span of six starts and one relief appearance. He also has won eight of his past nine decisions since July 25, a span of 12 starts and 13 appearances. Billingsley is now 6-3 with a 2.43 ERA in 14 career appearances (10 starts) against the Padres, the team he faced in his major league debut on June 15, 2006.
--INF Blake DeWitt will be the starting shortstop whenever Rafael Furcal gets a day off, manager Joe Torre said. Furcal is expected to be rested at least once a week this season because of his history of injuries and the abandon with which he plays the game. DeWitt hadn't played shortstop since high school, but he made 11 appearances there during spring training and proved he was capable. BY THE NUMBERS: 6.31 -- Spring-training ERA for the Dodgers heading into their final game on Sunday against San Francisco. Dodgers pitchers allowed 221 earned runs in 315 1/3 innings. Of the additional 23 runs that were unearned, seven of them came in one outing by non-roster left-hander Eric Milton on March 20 against Kansas City, when he gave up four consecutive two-out hits in a six-run inning. The Dodgers had 13 pitchers with at least five appearances who had six-plus ERAs.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "A big part of it is the approach, having an understanding of what the pitcher is trying to do and of situations and these guys developing a game plan as they go. That is when a team gets a lot better. But at the same time, you have to be careful about too much information. You can't give a baby solid food right away. You don't want these guys up there thinking too much." -- Dodgers hitting coach Don Mattingly on the growth of the Dodgers' young players.
